Just a Movie
by StellatheAlchemist
Summary: They said it was just a horror movie. Nobody said anything about zombies. When Al freaks out, what will the others think of him? ((One-shot. No pairings, Al and Fuery friendship. K-plus for mentions of violence and swear words.))


**((I've been wanting to write something featuring Al and Fuery, but I wasn't sure how to do it. When I asked my wifey about it, her only reply was "zombies". So I came up with this. xD It's not as dark as I'd have liked, but it's cute. I've always thought Al and Fuery were pretty similar in personality, and I think they could have an interesting friendship. It's rather disappointing how little there is with them both in it.**

**Also, I know the movie theater doesn't fit 1914 at all, but FMA's not exactly the same as our timeline, so I figured it would be ok. Don't kill me. xD))**

"Ten tickets for _Screams Tonight_, please."

Mustang's entire squad, including Armstrong, Hughes, and the Elrics, were going to see a horror movie. It started with the simple suggestion that they all take a day to do something fun and relaxing; It hadn't taken long for Havoc and Breda to convince everyone else to see the latest bloody horror film, much to Riza's disdain. And so the group had assembled in the lobby of the Central City Cinema.

The cashier handed Roy nine tickets, pausing and glancing at Ed.

"…Sir, this is a rated M movie," he informed Roy.

"It's fine. They're with me."

"Well, ok… if you insist…" The cashier wasn't sure who "they" were, seeing as the only minor he saw was the fuming blonde boy who was currently being held back from punching him by a man in a suit of armor. Shrugging, he gave Roy the last ticket. "Enjoy the movie."

"Oh man, this is gonna be great!" Breda announced excitedly as they got in line at the snack bar.

"Depends on your definition of great," Fuery mumbled, but was ignored.

"Hurry up, Fullmetal," Roy commanded, poking the boy in the back. "We only have 10 minutes."

"I'll take as long as I like, bastard," Ed replied. "It's my snack, I can do what I want."

"Make sure to leave some for everyone else," Al teased, receiving a glare from his older brother.

"Are you implying I'm going to eat the entire snack bar, Al?"

"Not the entire thing. Just the food."

"Damn it, don't make me-"

"Will that be all, sir?" the annoyed cashier asked, getting impatient.

"Oh, uh… yeah," Ed replied, embarrassed.

"That'll be 25,500 cenz."

Ed mumbled something about overpriced movie theater food and a conspiracy and handed the cashier the money, taking his food.

Eventually they made it to the theater, Ed and Breda both armed with equally huge amounts of food (Some of which was carried by Al because, as Roy put it, Ed's hands were too _small_ to carry both the soda and the pretzels). They chose their seats in two rows, with Falman in a strategic position to steal Breda's food. Al sat on the floor, for two reasons; he was too big to fit in the seats, and even if he wasn't, he would be blocking Havoc's view otherwise. Ed sat in the seat to the left of him with his feet propped up on the chair in front of him, leaning back. Next to him was Roy, then Riza. On Al's other side was Fuery and Breda. Behind them sat Armstrong, Hughes, Havoc, and Falman.

Soon the movie started. Everything seemed fine, until Al discovered just what the movie was about.

_Zombies._

He felt a wave of fear creeping over him, horrified. They never said there would be zombies! He thought it was just a regular old horror movie. (What constituted a "regular" horror movie, he didn't know, but he certainly hadn't been expecting zombies.)

He had to stay calm. He couldn't freak out, not here… Everyone would know. They'd think he was pathetic. He couldn't let that happen. He had to be brave. So he just sat and watched the movie in terror, unable to voice his fears.

Until the zombies got a little boy and his family. That was when he lost it.

Al stood up and ran out of the theater, too scared to think rationally. Everyone stared, shocked, as the boy loudly ran off. There was an awkward silence for a moment, until Ed turned to glare daggers at Havoc and Breda.

"You didn't tell him it was a zombie movie?!"

"Come on, chief, please don't kill us!" Havoc pleaded, throwing his hands up in surrender.

"Yeah, w-we didn't know," Breda added, hoping to deter Ed's wrath. Ed looked them over for a moment, seemingly considering how best to murder them, when Roy put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't," he said plainly, his voice quite firm.

Ed glared at Roy and sat back in his chair, pouting with his arms crossed. Havoc and Breda, upon realizing that their lives were not in any danger, slowly relaxed.

"What was that about, anyway?" Hughes asked, slightly concerned. Ed sighed.

"…We went to see a zombie movie when Al was three… He was too little to understand that it wasn't real, and he's been terrified of them ever since." Ed stared at his automail, a habit of his.

"Poor kid," Havoc said quietly.

"Yeah, and now he's going to have to relive his childhood trauma thanks to you two dumbasses," Ed snapped, glaring. The two of them both trembled and grabbed onto each other.

"Hold me I'm scared," Havoc whimpered.

"I wish I could have lived long enough to have kids," Breda moaned.

Ed snorted. "Oh, shut up. I'm not going to kill you, you wimps," he explained, smirking.

"Oh, that's a relief!"

"…yet."

Havoc and Breda both screamed and hid under their seats, while Ed laughed hysterically and Roy hit his head on the chair in front of him.

~~~_Alas, death should not have taken thee_~~~

Al sat by a wall outside the theater, crying quietly. He felt awful. Freaking out in front of his brother was bad enough, but the entire military crew… Not only had he ruined the movie, but now they would all know how pathetic and childish he was.

_I bet they hate me._

And as if all that wasn't enough, he couldn't shake the feeling that the zombies were coming… Coming to get him, coming to get him and his brother and everyone he'd ever loved. It was a ridiculous fear, he knew. Yet no matter how many times his brother assured him that zombies weren't real, that nothing could ever hurt them, he was still scared. And it made him feel so very stupid.

He jumped a little when he heard someone coming, subconsciously thinking for one panic-filled moment that the zombies had finally come for him. He relaxed a little, however, when he saw that it was only Fuery. He sighed and went back to being depressed.

"You ok?" Fuery asked.

"I guess," Al mumbled quietly, not looking at him.

All was silent for a moment, until Al finally spoke up.

"Go ahead and say it," he whispered.

Fuery blinked confusedly.

"…Sorry, what?" He didn't understand. Say _what?_

"I know you're thinking it. That I'm pathetic, and weak, and immature, and… and…" Al broke off into sobs.

"…Um… Actually, I don't think that at all," Fuery replied awkwardly, adjusting his glasses. "Really, you're no worse than I am."

"…Wh-what do you mean?" Al asked quietly, looking up slightly.

"I actually hate these scary movies," he explained. "I only came along because everyone else was taking bets on how long it would be before I'd scream, and I wanted to prove that I'm not scared of movies." He smiled slightly, embarrassed.

"Still better than me," Al insisted, sighing.

"Hey, cheer up. You're just a kid, after all. I doubt anyone blames you for being scared. Besides, everyone has their own little irrational fears," Fuery pointed out.

"Like what?"

"Well, for example, Breda's terrified of dogs. The colonel hates water, although I wouldn't exactly call that a 'fear'… And Havoc's afraid of spiders," he added, laughing a little.

"So… it's not because I'm pathetic?" Al repeated, slightly confused.

"Of course not. It's nothing to be embarrassed about! You'd have to be some sort of inhuman robot to have no fears," Fuery said.

Al considered this. If what Fuery said was true, not only were his fears completely normal, but they actually confirmed that he was really human. As his young mind struggled to wrap itself around this idea, he slowly began to feel better. Somehow, it was all ok. After all, if Fuery didn't hate him for it, maybe the others wouldn't either.

Just as he began to think this, the others themselves emerged from around the corner.

"There you two are, we've been looking all over," Roy announced, sighing.

"OH, ALPHONSE ELRIC! SEARGENT FUERY! WE WERE SO WORRIED!" Armstrong shouted, pulling both of them into a bone-crushing hug.

"M-major, I can't breathe," Fuery squeaked, currently wedged somewhere between Al's painful metal chest and Armstrong's giant muscles. Armstrong reluctantly let them go, not wanting to suffocate his tiny friend.

"You ok, Al?" Ed asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm much better now, Brother," Al replied, nodding. "Much better."


End file.
